You must have already completed a bachelor’s degree in any area other than education to apply to EPI. In addition to your degree, you must also apply to the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) to obtain your Statement of Eligibility (SOE). You may submit the request for your SOE
online. On the application you must identify which subject area(s) you would like to teach. In addition to completing the SOE application, you must send official transcript(s) to the FLDOE to review. Based solely on the transcript(s), the FLDOE will determine if you are eligible to teach the specified subject area(s).

The program is designed so that individuals can complete the coursework in as little as two semesters if they attend full-time. Full-time means 9 credits one semester and 12 credits a second semester. It is recommended that candidates take into consideration all personal responsibilities (family, work, etc.) before choosing to attend full-time. The program is a post-baccalaureate certificate. The coursework is rigorous and we want all students to excel in the courses, therefore we urge students to go at a pace that is comfortable to them.​​

EPI is a fully online program, thus students should be confident in their computer competency skills in order to participate in this program. The EPI courses are delivered through an online format called Desire2Learn (D2L). Individual instructors may choose to meet face-to-face at the beginning of the semester for an orientation. The orientations will either be in the evening or on a Saturday morning. All necessary coursework will be submitted through D2L.

Students will receive an initia​l D2L login ID and password when they register for their first course. The courses are in 6, 8, 12 or 16 week sessions. The assignments and due dates are determined by the class instructor. Students will submit assignments within D2L (similar to attaching a document to an email). Students are also required to participate in weekly discussions using the discussion board feature in D2L. All courses do have an instructor and the instructor is accessible by phone and email.​

Thetotal cost of the program is approximately $2,800 for students with Florida state residency. This program is not eligible for Financial Aid. However, EPI students may apply for private loans. For more information contact Broward College Financial Aid at 954-201-2330.

The EPI program is designed for individuals who hold a bachelor's degree in any field other than education. The program prepares students to enter the classroom. The program does not cover any one specific subject area. It is the responsibility of the student to take and pass their specific subject area exam in order to be eligible to teach that subject. More information regarding the required Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) can be found at the​ Florida Department of Education (FTCE) website.

The SOE will list what the individual student needs to do in order to obtain both the temporary certificate (three year non-renewable) and the professional certificate (five year renewable). If deemed not-eligible, the individual can choose to either take the applicable subject area exam (SAE) OR complete additional coursework in that subject. If the individual takes and passes the SAE, the SOE will automatically be updated to "eligible" status and a new SOE will be issued.

By attending the admissions meeting with their EPI advisor upon acceptance into the program, students will gain a better understanding of the program policies and procedures. The purpose of the admissions meeting is also to register for EPI courses.​

The EPI courses cannot be transferred towards another bachelor’s or master’s degree program, but may be transferred toward an EPI certificate at another higher education institution that offers the program. ​

The EPI office does not partake in the hiring process. All hiring decisions are made by the Broward County Public School Instructional Staffing department or your local school district and the individual school principals within that district.​

Yes. In order to
obtain a professional teaching certificate, an individual needs to pass all sections of the FTCE as well as a Florida approved Professional Education Competence demonstration system (the EPI program).

Yes. In order to be placed at a school in Broward County to complete field experience for the EPI0940 and EPI0945 courses, you must provide the EPI office with a copy of a valid (cannot be expired) security clearance badge as issued by Broward County Public Schools. Instructions on how to obtain a security badge can be found
here.

Students who are currently working at a K-12 school may contact the Coordinator of Clinical Education and Placement at 954-201-2500 to discuss completing the required field placement in their schools; please note, though, that students may still be required to provide a copy of a valid security clearance badge to complete the field experience.

Students residing outside of Broward County are required to adhere to that respective county’s policies for fingerprinting and placement. In addition, students outside of Broward County are expected to contact local schools to complete their fieldwork. BC will only place students within Broward County.

Yes. As the EPI program is a fully online program with an intensive reading and writing curriculum, the LOEP placement test must be taken in order to demonstrate competency in the three main areas: Grammar & Composition, Communication and Reading. Please review the following testing center website for additional information and contact an advisor for a testing slip when you are ready to take the test:

Please also discuss with an admissions counselor about TOEFL or IELTS scores that meet the minimum thresholds to demonstrate college-level English language proficiency. Also, having completed the equivalent of ENC1101 (composition 1) and 12 college credit courses at a college in the States can also satisfy language placement requirements.

Students needing to take English for Academic Purposes (EAP) are strongly urged to wait towards their final class before requesting their Statement of Eligibility because of the expiration (usually 3 years) from the date of issue.